Tehmoor Tariq appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with being concerned with the production of the cannabis farm.

The court heard that the value of the Class B drugs found in the building was between £623,080 and £1,246,164.

The huge drugs haul was found on February 5, 2014, after police on patrol were told that the property was insecure. Police vehicles were at the scene throughout the day with officers filling bins full of cannabis plants of varying sizes from the property.

Police spent a day dismantling the farm and removing the plants from various rooms spanning four floors within the building.

It was a large cannabis farm, with a large yield

Prosecutor Fiona Varley

Three skips were also filled with lighting and heating equipment.

As well as cannabis plants, bags of cannabis leaves that had started the drying-out process were also found.

The boxes were then loaded into a police van to be taken away for analysis by the force’s specialist forensic team, along with the heating and lighting equipment used for the production of cannabis.

Police launched an appeal for witnesses who may have seen suspicious behaviour in and around the property to come forward immediately after the ind.